Government deploys more cops in areas under Alert Level 1
MANILA--Twenty-one Filipino seafarers from conflictstricken Ukraine arrived in the Philippines safely on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said these individuals were among the stranded crew of the MV S-Breeze at the Port of Odessa in Ukraine.
“They crossed from Ukraine to Moldova through the assistance of Honorary Consul Gaina,” she said.
So far, at least 36 individuals, including Filipinos and their Ukrainian families, have evacuated to the Philippines amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The DFA raised the crisis alert level 4 in Ukraine due to the “rapidly deteriorating situation” there.
This prompted the mandatory repatriation of all Filipinos from the said country at the expense of the National
Government.
The DFA earlier said over 200 Filipinos were in Ukraine, in which some of them refused to go back home due to their families they will be leaving behind and their work in humanitarian and security organizations. (Third Anne PeraltaMalonzo/ SunStar
Philippines)
MANILA---Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday, March 7, 2022, that more policemen were deployed on the streets to deter crime especially in areas placed under Covid-19 Alert Level 1.
Año said Covid-19 cases continue to drop especially in Metro Manila but the Alert Level 1 status has resulted in heavier traffic and increased mobility of people.
“At nakita din po namin na binabantayan natin 'yung mga focus crimes (We are monitoring the focus crimes). Medyo tumaas ang index crime (The number of index crimes has slightly increased), particularly physical injuries at saka (and) theft,” he said in his report during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People Address.
“Ito ay napansin natin sa mga business establishment na malalapit sa malls. Kaya naman mas marami pang mga pulis ang ating ide-deploy bilang paghahanda at maging deterrent sa mga criminals,” he added.
(We observed this in establishments near malls, that’s why we are deploying more policemen to prepare and deter crimes.)
Año said the public continues to adhere to the minimum public health protocols, noting the decrease by 25.36 percent of the number of individuals being accosted particularly for not wearing face masks.
Meanwhile, Año noted the increase in the amount of illegal drugs confiscated during the first week of Alert Level 1 implementation.
He said from February 27 to March 5, P424,747,925.6 million worth of illegal drugs were seized during law enforcement operations in various parts of the country. It is relatively higher than the P159-million seizure during the week prior.
In the said period, Año said that 1,307 drug suspects were nabbed and one was killed during the operation, while a total of 76 drug personalities have surrendered.
The confiscated illegal drugs in the weeklong operation included 7.5 kilograms of shabu, 3,114.2 kilograms of marijuana, one gram of cocaine and 1.2 grams of ecstasy.
“So ito po ay maaaring bunga na din ng pagluluwag natin, nagkaroon ng mobility, kumilos ang mga tao at puwedeng samantalahin po ng mga illegal drug traders,” said Año.
(This could also be a result of the easing of quarantine restrictions because there is already mobility, and people have the opportunity to trade drugs.)
“Lalo pa natin paiigtingin ang ating mga operation para siguradong hindi mapagsamantalahan ng mga illegal drug operators ang ating pagbaba ng kaso at pagluluwag sa Alert Level 1,” he added.
(We will further strengthen our operations to make sure these illegal drug operators will not be able to take advantage of the easing of restrictions.)
A total of 39 areas in the country, including Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces, have been placed under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15 amid the continued decline in Covid-19 cases. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/ SunStar Philippines)